


Day 7

by MyShipLife



Series: Christmas Countdown [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:48:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27943298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyShipLife/pseuds/MyShipLife
Summary: Alec can't wrap gifts to save his life. Magnus, his neighbor, helps.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Christmas Countdown [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036347
Comments: 7
Kudos: 67





	Day 7

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, 
> 
> A few things on this one: it's short, it's not well-proofread, and I didn't enjoy the prompt so it won't probably be good. You've been warned.
> 
> Thanks again for the love, I deeply appreciate it.

“Ow fuck! No, no, no, don’t stick there, don’t stick there.”

Alec looked desperately at the piece of tape stuck in the middle of nowhere on the now ruined Christmas gift he had to wrap for his sister. Alec loved getting gifts, the pleasure of providing joy to his family and siblings was something he thoroughly enjoyed. What he hated though, was to wrap them. A book he could do, but as soon as it became oddly shaped or worse, fluid, he was lost.

He grabbed the paper, turned it into a ball and threw it across the room. It hit the wall and landed with a small thud on the floor. Alec threw it a glance before turning back to the jacket laid out in front of him. There was no way he would manage to get this properly wrapped. Maybe he should try to find a box to put it in before wrapping. 

With this new idea in mind, Alec went to his closet and rummaged through it to try and find something that would help him, but to no luck. He sighed and decided to try his luck somewhere else. Putting on some shoes, he opened his door and went to knock on his neighbor’s. 

“Alec, what can I do for you?”  
“Hi Magnus, sorry to bother you, I was wondering if maybe you had a box that you weren’t using?”  
“A box? What kind of box?”  
“Honestly, I’d take anything. I’ve been trying to wrap Izzy’s Christmas present for the last hour and since I can’t do it, I’m trying to find something to put it in so that it’ll stop moving.”

Alec could see Magnus holding a laugh, so he just smiled at him.

“You can laugh Magnus, it’s alright. I suck at gift wrapping. And yes, it annoys me to no end.”  
“Why don’t you get the store to do it for you then?”  
“The line was so long, I didn’t want to wait.”  
“Somebody’s in a mood today. Ok, give me a sec and I’m coming to help you.”  
“You don’t mind?”  
“I really don’t.”  
“Thank you, Magnus.”

Alec went back to his apartment and threw a dark glance to the offending item on the table. He went to the kitchen and started to brew coffee, because Magnus would certainly drink some, no matter what time it was. Coffee had actually been the reason they had met. On evening, Alec had been working late and had forgotten to pick up coffee before going back home. He had tried his luck and knocked on his neighbor’s door. He hadn’t been ready for one of the most beautiful man he had ever seen to open the door.

Alec had moved in a few months before, but his hours made it hard for him to meet people in the hallway. He learned later on that Magnus even had schedules opposite of his, so it wasn’t surprising they had never met before. From that day forward, they became friendly, chatting in the elevator and sharing groceries when needed. But they didn’t talk more than just basic pleasantries.

A knock on the door got Alec out of his kitchen. He opened to find Magnus, arms loaded with various boxes, paper and tape. 

“I didn’t know what you needed so I brought everything I have. I love wrapping gifts.”  
“Really? But why? This is so nasty. Nothing stays put, you have to fight with the paper, the tape… ugh just talking about it gets me nervous.”  
“I can see that. Let me see what I can do. Oh is that the jacket?”  
“Yes. This nasty fabric.”  
“It looks gorgeous though.”  
“Thanks. My sister loves this brand so when I saw it on sale, I didn’t hesitate.”  
“She does? Next time, tell me when you need something from them, I might be able to help.”  
“Really? That’d be great. It’s always a hardship to find those and when you do, they’re extremely overpriced.”  
“That’s fashion for you my dear.”  
“I wouldn’t know, I don’t talk fashion. I just know this will make Izzy happy.”  
“You’re a good brother Alec.”  
“I try.”

Alec watched in awe as Magnus moved everything on the table and wrapped the jacket in less than five minutes. And it looked gorgeous. Everything was neatly folded, the tape was exactly where it was supposed to be, Magnus had even made a little bow on top of it.

“How did you do that?”  
“You get the hang of it when you spend years as a gift wrapper during holiday seasons.”  
“I didn’t know that.”  
“I guess we never really talked that much.”  
“No, we haven’t.”

Alec didn’t know if this was an invitation to do so or just a general acknowledgement. And despite what his siblings always told him, he felt weird during social interactions. So he left it at that, the door open enough for Magnus to continue if he wanted to.

“We could always remedy that?”  
“I’d like it. Are you working tonight?”  
“I’m not. You?”  
“Nope. Do you want to stay for dinner? That way we can talk some more and I can repay you for wrapping the present from hell?”  
“Sure, give me a second, I’m running back home to turn a few things off and I’ll be back.”  
“Ok. No allergies or anything I should know of?”  
“Nothing.”

Alec watched Magnus leave his apartment and tried to clean up as much as he could around the place. It wasn’t dirty, but it was messy. Alec didn’t really have a lot of time to organize things, so he usually let things be where they had been dropped the last time. He called it his organized mess. Of course, his mother would rant about it each time she came visit, but he was a 27 year old man, he could handle his place the way it was.

Magnus knocked on the door and entered, which made Alec smile. He could see himself becoming closer real fast with Magnus. There was something about the man that made it easy to picture him in your own life. Alec realized that Magnus had something in his hands when he came closer.

“This is for your sister Alec, you have to gift it to her along with the jacket you got her.”  
“What? Magnus, why?”  
“Because this specific jacket was made to with this specific scarf. And I know for a fact that the scarf is sold out everywhere.”  
“I know, it was on my list too. When I tell you I spent the day trying to find it, I’m not even exaggerating. I can’t accept it Magnus, it’s way too much.”  
“Of course you can. I don’t need it, it will complete your sister’s look, it’s a win-win.”  
“Why do you have this in the first place?”  
“Can you keep a secret?”  
“Depends. If you tell me this belonged to one of your exes, I’ll have to pass.”  
“Ha, it’s been a while since I dated a woman. I’ve found men to be much agreeable companion lately.”  
“You won’t hear any opposition from me on this. Though I can’t relate, never dated a woman my whole life.”  
“Really? What about that red-haired woman that visits you?”  
“Clary? Ew no. She’s my sister in law and one of my closest friends.”  
“That ew was heartfelt.”  
“She wouldn’t take offence. We seem to be drifting though, what’s the secret?”  
“This piece is an original.”  
“Aren’t they all? Like something makes them all different?”  
“True, but this one is the first one.”  
“How would you know?”  
“Because I designed it.”  
“You’re joking, right?”  
“I am not. I created Downworld four years ago. After many years as an intern, and no real job coming my way, I decided I would at least try to create my own opportunity. It didn’t work at first, but then someone saw some of my designs and the rest was history.”  
“Iz is gonna be so jealous. I can tell her right? She’ll keep the secret.”  
“Of course, I wouldn’t want you to keep anything form your sister. She seems like a nice woman.”  
“Oh, I can get you in touch with her if you’d like? She’s currently single.”  
“Thank you, I appreciate the offer. But I’m not interested. She’s not the Lightwood I’d like to get in touch with.”  
“Oh.”  
“Breathe Alec. It’s fine if you’re not interested. No harm done.”  
“But I am. I just never thought you’d be. I’m just me.”  
“Well, just you is perfectly fine Darling. So what do you say? Date sometime?”  
“Yeah, I’d love that.”


End file.
